For the Geek in all of us

Cops

I don’t usually read romantic suspense because the heroine is usually put into a dire, life-threatening situation, and sometimes that just stresses me out. I ventured outside of my comfort zone because Irresistible Force features a K-9 dog. I wasn’t sure how big a part the dog would play in the story, but anything with the word “dog” pretty much gets my attention. I’m so glad I picked this up! While there are several uncomfortable scenes for our heroine, Shay, she thinks well under pressure and refuses to allow herself to be a victim. It helped that James, her police officer love interest, is brave, kind, and understanding, and oh, yeah, Bogart the dog puts all of his training to the test to save Shay from danger. Thank goodness!

BLURB: When she sees red and blue lights flashing in her rearview mirror, Michelle Thomas fears her day is ruined. Sexy Officer Drake lets her go with a warning, but when she runs into him at a bar later that day, it feels a little like fate.

Michelle isn’t interested in fate. She has two weeks until she starts grad school so she’s looking for one thing: fun. A no-holds-barred good time. What she doesn’t want is a relationship—that’s a distraction she can’t afford.

I’m just a little torn about Staking His Claim. I loved the set up – Lucy’s big brother has asked his buddy, Matt, to pick her and her friend up and drive them to NYC. When Sasha blows her off to cuddle up with her boyfriend, Lucy’s resigned to going solo – until she sees Matt. She impulsively lies and tells Matt that she’s Sasha, and that Lucy has headed off with her boyfriend. She knows that Matt would never put the moves on her if he knew who she really was, and she’s dying to get to know Matt better. When his car breaks down, forcing them to check into a motel, they give into their attraction for each other, and Lucy realizes, with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, that she’s made a terrible mistake. She really likes Matt, and he brings out a wild side of her she didn’t know she possessed. Once Matt realizes that he’s been duped, though, she knows that he’ll never forgive her.

In a short time, Tessa Bailey has become a favorite author. I always get a happy tingle when she has a new release. While not all of the elements work for me, the romances are hot, hot, hot, the character interaction keeps me engaged in the story, and the dialog is snappy and amusing. Like today’s anticipated Thanksgiving feast, I devoured Asking for Trouble, enjoying this guilty pleasure.

Story Brooks’ fiancé just called off their wedding two weeks before the happy day. As if that isn’t bad enough, her semi-estranged father, an infamous NYPD hostage negotiator, has suffered a heart attack. Not wanting to examine her lack of emotion over the broken engagement, she hops on a plane to reconnect with her father before it’s too late.

Playboy hostage negotiator Daniel Chase has never, not once, been refused by a woman, so when a debate over hospital snack foods with a delectable kindergarten teacher ends in flat-out rejection, he makes it his mission to seduce her. His only obstacle? She’s the daughter of his mentor who implicitly forbade Daniel from pursuing her.

Despite her father’s warnings and Daniel’s troubled past, Daniel and Story can’t resist their intense attraction to one another. But when the reason for her fiancé’s abrupt wedding cancellation comes to light, can Story and Daniel’s already forbidden relationship survive?

Review:

Tessa Bailey’s books just keep getting better and better! I really enjoyed Officer Off Limits, and found the mix of sensuality and humor very agreeable. The only reason this story worked for me, though, is because the heroine is so strong. The first chapter has her getting dumped by her intended two weeks before their wedding, and she starts out restrained and, while not quite timid, certainly not forceful. She gets a measure of satisfaction by ordering the most expensive bottle of champagne and charging it to his tab, but this is peanuts compared to getting dumped in a restaurant. Two weeks before their wedding. What a jerk!

When Story’s father suffers from a heart attack, she flies from CA to NYC in an attempt to patch up their rocky relationship. She meets a sexy guy in the waiting room, and doesn’t know whether to be relieved to learn that he’s her father’s partner, instead of a psycho stalker with strong opinions about snack foods. Hostage negotiators for the NYPD, both men are tough, no nonsense men. Daniel takes it one step further. Bounced between foster homes when he was a child, he has developed a wall around his emotions that even the most skilled mountain climber would not be able to scale. A traumatic experience when he was sixteen changed his life forever, leaving him mentally scarred and even more wary of relationships. To compensate for what he perceives as his greatest weakness, he is a full-on, raging alpha. Dear, me! This guy puts on one heck of a front – he hops from bed to bed, never staying with the same woman longer than it takes to get his clothes back on. He has no close relationships, and keeps everyone at arm’s length.

Daniel came across as such a jerk at the beginning of the book. He is attracted to Story and makes no secret that he wants to get to know her tan lines better. When she rebuffs him in the waiting room, she only piques his interest. Even learning that she’s Jack’s daughter, and that his mentor will flay him alive if he tries any funny business, isn’t enough to get him to back down. Like a blood hound, once Daniel’s on the scent, it’s hard get him to focus on anything else. He thinks a quick hook up with Story will get his mind back on work, but the silly alpha is confused. Story isn’t like the rest of the women he’s known, and after her disastrous engagement, she wants to call some of the shots. So not what the demanding Daniel is accustomed to.

As I stated previously, if Story has been even one notch more submissive, Officer Off Limits would not have worked for me. Daniel is so dominating, and I will admit that alpha-jerks are not my favorite hero types. But with Story’s developing confidence, the two play off each other well. The author had me believing that jaded Daniel was so enamored with Story that he couldn’t think of anything else. That he was willing to risk Jack’s wrath to spend just one more minute with Story. As their relationship deepens, he begins to learn to trust again, and Story slowly draws out his tender side. I was so convinced that he was maturing and and growing emotionally. This was one couple, with their quirks and hang ups, that I wanted to find their HEA. Even the admission from Jack that he had been meddling in their relationship didn’t lessen my enthusiasm for this couple.

Like in my last review of a Tessa Bailey book, while I would normally suggest tossing this in your beach bag for a summer read, instead I recommend settling down with a few ice packs and cold beverages. This is a scorching read, and with temps hovering in the upper 80s, I’m fearful you will get heat stoke if you read this while lounging outside in the sun.

Tessa Bailey, one of my new favorite authors, has a new book releasing today! To celebrate, Tessa and Entangled Publishing are giving away a $50 Amazon gift card! Read about the book and enter for your chance to win!

Officer Off Limits by Tessa Bailey

Title: Officer Off Limits (Line of Duty #3)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Release Date: June 10, 2013

Imprint: Brazen

Synopsis:

“His need to possess her is non-negotiable.

Story Brooks’ fiancé just called off their wedding two weeks before the happy day. As if that isn’t bad enough, her semi-estranged father, an infamous NYPD hostage negotiator, has suffered a heart attack. Not wanting to examine her lack of emotion over the broken engagement, she hops on a plane to reconnect with her father before it’s too late.

Playboy hostage negotiator Daniel Chase has never, not once, been refused by a woman, so when a debate over hospital snack foods with a delectable kindergarten teacher ends in flat-out rejection, he makes it his mission to seduce her. His only obstacle? She’s the daughter of his mentor who implicitly forbade Daniel from pursuing her.

Despite her father’s warnings and Daniel’s troubled past, Daniel and Story can’t resist their intense attraction to one another. But when the reason for her fiancé’s abrupt wedding cancellation comes to light, can Story and Daniel’s already forbidden relationship survive?”

Homicide cop Troy Bennett had a reputation with the Chicago PD for being fearless and in control—until the night his daredevil partner is killed during a raid. From that moment on, he swears he’ll never again be responsible for the loss of a loved one. To escape his demons, Troy transfers to the NYPD, bringing him up close and personal with Ruby Elliott, a beautiful, street-savvy pool hustler.

Reckless and stubbornly independent, Ruby embodies everything Troy’s avoiding, but when she walks into the pub he’s at with his new coworkers and blows his carefully laid plans to hell, Troy knows he has to have her—risks be damned. But there’s a connection between Ruby’s shadowed past and a case Troy’s working involving a notorious Brooklyn felon, throwing her safety into jeopardy. Confronted with his biggest fear, will Troy push Ruby away to keep her safe or fight to keep her in his arms where she belongs?

Review:

I am really happy to have discovered Tessa Bailey. So far, she has delivered two blazing, lightning paced books that have held my interested from beginning to end. I thought His Risk to Take was better than Protecting What’s His, because the suspense elements were better crafted and fit the story smoothly. Maybe because, like the rest of this novella, the showdown with the bad guys was lickity-split, and I didn’t have time, or the inclination, to question the setup or the smack down.

I liked both protagonists, but Ruby really struck a chord with me. She is trying to put her shady past behind her, and make a better life for herself. She has learned that she can’t count on anyone but herself, and for the time being, she’s content to focus on her future. Then she meets Troy, and all bets are off. Even though he’s a cop, she can’t help but be drawn to him. As a pool hustler, she certainly doesn’t need the complications his presence in her life will bring, but after one smoldering taste of passion with him, she can’t get him out of her head. Good thing, because he’s just as obsessed with her.

Troy has some baggage, too, and it’s making him cautious about jumping into a relationship. He feels responsible for the death of his partner in an arrest gone bad, and he doesn’t trust that he can keep the people he cares about safe. He transfers from Chicago to New York, needing both a change of scenery and a break from reminders of his failures. When he meets Ruby, all he’s interested in is one night of unrestrained sex. That’s it. With his forceful bedroom demeanor, he usually chases the ladies away as fast as they can run, but Ruby finds that Troy’s dominance and dirty talk are just what she needs have the best sex of her life. Too bad Troy’s a cop, though. A lifetime of living on the edge of the law has taught her that cops just can’t be trusted.

This is fun read because both Troy and Ruby have to learn to trust again, both themselves and each other. They are made for each other, and as they get to know each other better, they begin to realize that they might be able to offer more than a good time in bed. Misunderstandings pop up as they try to protect the other, and the flow of disagreement and resolution is natural and engaging. I gobbled this story up in one sitting, and I found myself both unable to put down my eReader until I reached the last page, and longing for more pages to read!

A word of warning – I would normally endorse this as a beach read. Because it is so smoking hot, I am fearful of mixing His Risk to Take with blazing, direct sunlight. You would be better served to read this in a walk in freeze, or with a gallon of your favorite ice cream close at hand. You have been warned.

Please welcome Tessa Bailey to the virtual offices! Tessa is here to share her Top Ten Cop Movies! After, enter to win a copy of her smokin’ hot His Risk to Take! Please check back later this morning to read my review, too!

Top 10 Cop Movies by Tessa Bailey

Author of PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS and HIS RISK TO TAKE

Hi Julie, thanks for having me! So happy I could stop by to talk about my favorite cop movies in honor of my latest book, His Risk to Take, part of my Line of Duty series for Brazen.

1. The Other Guys – Any movie starring Will Ferrell is an automatic favorite. Throw in Mark Wahlberg and you’ve got yourself a winner.

2. The Inside Man – I actually watched this movie recently as research for my series. It involved a hostage negotiation and the NYPD Emergency Services Unit, which my heroes belong to in the Line of Duty series. There’s a great twist at the end – and you gotta love Denzel J

3. End of Watch – Saw this one recently. I was more a fan of the format and originality of the film. It takes place over the course of almost a decade, focusing on two partners in the LAPD. Sweet, sad, funny.

4. Turner and Hooch – A classic. I watched this movie a zillion times growing up. A big loveable dog and Tom Hanks. It’s like an instant pick-me-up.

5. Mystic River – So dark and twisty, but it’s an incredible story. My favorite thing about this movie is the ending. Nothing is actually resolved and the bad guy doesn’t learn his lesson or face consequences. It’s scary and refreshing at the same time.

7. The Departed – I LOVE this movie. Such incredible acting…and God, I love me some Matt Damon. There’s just something about that Boston accent.

8. Point Break – I have memories of watching this movie on Sunday mornings with my dad. It’s almost like the movie should be classified as terrible, but you have too much fun watching it to care. And come on, you have to love Swayze.

9. Training Day – Another Denzel movie. Rookie cop gets paired with veteran who isn’t what he seems. There’s a lot of twists and turns – such a great movie.

10. The Boondock Saints – I’m kind of a fan of stories about vigilante justice and this is one of the best. Two brothers take the law into their own hands. It’s totally a classic.

Thank you, Tessa, for sharing your Top 10 cop movies with us!

Ready for your chance to win His Risk to Take? Just fill out the widget below.

Homicide cop Troy Bennett had a reputation on the Chicago PD for being fearless and in control—until the night his daredevil partner is killed during a raid. From that moment on, he swears he’ll never again be responsible for the loss of a loved one. To escape his demons, Troy transfers to the NYPD, bringing him up close and personal with Ruby Elliott, a beautiful, street-savvy pool hustler.

Reckless and stubbornly independent, Ruby embodies everything Troy’s avoiding, but when she walks into the pub he’s at with his new coworkers and blows his carefully laid plans to hell, Troy knows he has to have her—risks be damned. But there’s a connection between Ruby’s shadowed past and a case Troy’s working involving a notorious Brooklyn felon, throwing her safety into jeopardy. Confronted with his biggest fear, will Troy push Ruby away to keep her safe or fight to keep her in his arms where she belongs?